Vehicle-spring.



110. 633,225. Patented Sept. I9,-.l 899.

c. L. moms. I VEHICLE SPRING.

- (Application filed Feb. 11, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ICLTI CS Jfwm 7 W BY a: a m

. H'ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PAT NT ()FFICE.

CHARLES LEETHOMAS, OF BUFFALO, NEW' YORK.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,225, datedSeptember 19, 1899.

Application filedIebruary 11,1899. Serial nmoasze. (Nomodel-l To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES LEE THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Buffalo, in the county ofErie and State of New York,have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I

Figure 1 of the drawings is a bottom plan view of a wagon, showing theinvention as in application thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective View ofinvention and axletree, detached.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements invehicle-springs, and is designed to provide a torsion -coil spring ofimproved character particularly designed for use on light vehicles,constituting the solespring and attachment at each end of the vehiclebetween the body and the axle, which will be soft and easy in its actionand which is free from breaking and weakening strains.

WVith this object in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the bodyof the Vehihicle, B the axletree and bolster, and 0 one of my improvedsprings. This spring is in some respects similar to that of my PatentNo. 533,757, of February 5, 1895, but possesses some material advantagesover that spring, as will hereinafter appear.

The spring consists of a single piece of round or square steel whose endportions are each bent to form a volute coil 1 and whose intermediateportions are bent to form the symmetrical side arms 2 and the transverseconnecting-arm 3, which has its bearing on the axletree. In the formshown the inner end of each coil is extended from a point within thecoil toward the end of the vehiclebody in a direction substantiallyparallel with the longitudinal axis of said. body to form arms 4, whichare rigidly secured to the under side of the body. In the arrangementshown these arms extend from points nearer the inner than the outersides of the coil. I do not, however, wish to limit myself to thisparticular form and arrangement of coils.

Secured to the central portion of the axletree and bolster B is a box D,which forms a free bearing for a central journal portion 3 of thespring. Collars are provided to prevent lateral movement in the box D.By reason of this free bearing at this point there is avoided twistingstrain upon the axle and the consequent bending strain upon the reach.By the free motion of the spring at this point the metal of the springis also largely freed from the twisting strain to which it is subject ina construction such as that of my former patent referred to. The springis also much freed from jerky motions and rides much more lightly andeasily. The present spring is also much easier to apply. In the whichare secured to the bolster, required to be upset to secure them inplace, which was objectionable on account of the difficulty of heatingspring-steel sufficiently for this purpose without destroying itselasticity and the danger of their subsequent breaking at this point.

It will be understood that a similar spring is applied at each end ofthe vehicle-body and that these springs form the sole connection betweenthe vehicle-body and running-gear, no intermediate bars or springs ofany kind being used.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein-described vehicle-spring consisting of a single piece ofspring metal whose end portions are bent to form torsion-coils and whoseintermediate portions are bent to form lateral arms and atransverseconnecting-arm having a central journal portion, substantially asspecified.

2. The combination with a vehicle-body and running-gear, of torsion-coilsprings, one of which .connects said body and running-gear at each endportion and which form the only connection between the two, each of saidsprings consisting of a single piece of metal Whose end portions arebent to form torsioncoils which are secured to the under side of springof the patent the end portions thereof,

the vehicle-body, and whose intermediate portion is bent to form sidearms and a transverse connecting-arm, together with a box or bearing onthe axle or bolster in which the intermediate portions of theconnecting-arms are freely journaled, substantially as specified.

3. Theherein-describedvehicle-springconsistingof asingle piece of springmetal, whose end portions are bent into symmetrical volute coils andwhose intermediate portions are bent to form central arms leaving theouter portions of said coils and a transverse arm which connects saidlateral arms, the inner ends of the coiled portions of the metal beingextended from a point within the coils to a point without the coils inthe direction of the extension of said lateral arms, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I afifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES LEE THOMAS.

\Vitnesses:

ARTHUR B. DORER, C. P. LOVERIDGE.

